The key visual and staff information for the TV anime 'Kaiju No. 8' (scheduled to start broadcasting in April 2024) have been released.

The unveiled key visual features the protagonist Kafka Hibino, along with other characters like Reno Ichikawa, Mina Ashiro, Kikoru Shinomiya, Soshiro Hoshina, Ihachiro Furubashi, Haruichi Izumo, and Aoi Kaguragi, all clad in Defense Force suits. The visual, with the tagline 'Conquer the threat, pave the way to the future,' evokes the determination of the Defense Force members who risk their lives to protect people from monsters.

The staff includes directors Takashi Miyashita (noted for action and delicately portraying the nuances of the human heart, with works like 'Onihei,' character design, and direction of 'Bokura wa Minna Kawai-sou,' among others) and Tomomi Kamiya ('Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori' director, 'PSYCHO-PASS 3' direction, and others).

Ichiro Okouchi, known for captivating fans with entertainment and intense human drama (series composition for 'Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury,' story concept and series composition for 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion,' and others), will handle the series composition and script.

Character design and chief animation direction will be managed by Tetsuya Nishio ('NARUTO' character design, 'Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG' character design, and others).

The monster design is by Maehiro Maeda ('Mad Max: Fury Road' concept art & design, 'Shin Godzilla' Godzilla image design, director & concept art director for 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,' among others). Maeda will also oversee some concept storyboards for monster scenes.

Art direction is by Shinji Kimura, known for creating intricately detailed worlds that feel as if they have temperature and smell ('Tekkonkinkreet' art director, 'Blood Blockade Battlefront' art director, and others). Music will be by Yudai Sakatou, active in both film scoring and classical/contemporary music ('Oyabaka Seishun Hakusyo,' 'Belle,' and others).

'Kaiju No. 8' is set in a world where disasters (monsters) mercilessly invade everyday life, with Japan, a country with one of the highest monster emergence rates, as its backdrop. The 32-year-old protagonist, Kafka Hibino, works cleaning the carcasses of monsters killed by the Defense Force. During pursuing his dream of becoming a 'Defense Force member,' his body is transformed into a monster by a mysterious creature, leading him to be called 'Monster No. 8' by the Japan Defense Force.

The manga started serialization in 'Shonen Jump+' in July 2020 and quickly surpassed 30 million views, making it one of the app's fastest to reach this milestone. Its cumulative comic book sales have exceeded 11 million copies, becoming a flagship title. It also won the Grand Prize in the 'Web Manga Division' of the 'Next Manga Award 2021' announced on August 24, 2021, and has been highly anticipated among manga fans, achieving the top annual sales for its first volume in 2020.

■ Staff
Original Work: Naoya Matsumoto (Serialized in Shueisha's 'Shonen Jump+')
Director: Miya Shigeyuki, Kamiya Tomomi
Series Composition & Script: Ohkouchi Ichiro
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Nishio Tetsuya
Monster Design: Maeda Masahiro
Art Director: Kimura Shinji
Color Design: Hirose Izumi
3D Director: Matsumoto Masaru
Director of Photography: Arai Eiji
Editor: Hida Fumi
Sound Director: Goh Fumiyuki
Music: Sakatou Yuudai
Animation Production: Production I.G
Monster Design & Works: Studio Color

■ Cast
Kafka Hibino/Monster No. 8: Katsuya Fukunishi
Reno Ichikawa: Wataru Kato
Mina Ashiro: Masami Seto
Kikoru Shinomiya: Ai Fairouz
Soshiro Hoshina: Kengo Kawanishi